The launch of a new informative website boosts International Leopard Day (3 May) onto the global calendar – giving it a much-needed platform, following the very successful first-ever Global Leopard Conference.
South Africa (03 May 2023) – March 2023 marked the inaugural Global Leopard Conference (GLC), which brought together hundreds of researchers, students, conservationists and enthusiasts in the first-ever international gathering dedicated to Panthera pardus, the leopard.
The GLC was a hugely successful and insightful week of sharing, learning, and connecting among researchers and conservationists working across the leopard’s range. It provided a platform to learn leopard lessons from many countries and to promote collaborative solutions to ensure the continued survival of this important species. It was attended by more than 300 delegates from more than 55 countries, and the feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive.
Despite being a well-known and charismatic species, the conference presentations and discussion groups overwhelmingly indicated that leopards are still greatly in need of awareness raising, support and investment – especially considering their ‘Vulnerable’ status as listed by the IUCN. As a lasting legacy of the Global Leopard Conference, International Leopard Day on 3 May was officialised and endorsed to give it a permanent and meaningful place on the global wildlife calendar, enabling higher awareness, promotion and celebration of leopards worldwide.
It was agreed that International Leopard Day deserved a dedicated portal to host information about the day and leopards, as well as some basic resources. A logo was developed courtesy of Bissan Designs, and a website was built by a small group of volunteers. The new website can be found at internationalleopardday.org as the official domain and online home of International Leopard Day.
The worldwide celebration of International Leopard Day on 3 May is encouraged, and some ideas for the celebration can be found on the website.
What is your best Leopard sighting? Share a picture in the comment section.
by 